[Python-Dev] Re: new syntax for wrapping (PEP 318)

[Skip Montanaro]

    Pete> I'm sure others will come to me as soon as I hit send. I don't
    Pete> know if I get a vote, but I'm +2 on PEP 318.

I'm +1 on the idea though with the post-arglist list-y syntax:

    def funct(a1, a2) [d1, d2]:
        pass

for the same reasons Barry elaborated yesterday.  The list constructor
allows you to split across lines and the decorators are in some sense
secondary to the function name and arguments which deserve to be displayed
more prominently.  Using (...) provides too little visual distinction with
the function's argument list.  Using <...> is tough for syntax highlighting
editors because < and > are already relational operators and shouldn't
visually balance in that context.  Using {...}  implies use of a dictionary,
which in turn implies unordered application of multiple decorators.  Not
using any sort of bracket forces the use of backslashes to continue the
decorator list across lines.

Using "as" with or without any other syntactic sugar just seems like keyword
noise to me.  It's not necessary for the parser to disambiguate things and
doesn't add much to the comprehension of the construct.  If Guido is
determined to add some English there we might as well go whole hog:

    def funct(a1, a2) modified by [d1, d2, wink(0.5)]:
        pass

Skip